Insulating structure



Sept. 27, 1938. fgA ls N ET AL 2,131,620

INSULATING STRUCTURE Filed June 10', 19:57

Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i INSULATING STRUCTURE Application June 10, 1937, Serial No. 147,470

Claims.

This invention relates to insulating structures trapped air cells formed within themselves and.

the efficiency of these materials as heat insu- 15 lation depends upon maintaining their fiufiy and wooly nature, thus insuring the permanent structure of the trapped air cells within them. Such insulating material, however, has a serious tendency to sag or settle because of its own weight, 20 leaving large gaps at the top of the column of insulation and becoming a relatively dense mass at the bottom of the column. Such settling, of course, compresses and destroys the air cells at the bottom of the strip which most effectively resist the transfer of heat and likewise leaves the top of the strip entirely unprotected. This is true whether the insulating material is applied loosely orin the form of bats, or for fire or sound retarding.

Rock wool or like materials to be efiective mus be placed in position without compression, as compression destroys the air cells and tends to solidify the material. This destroys the heat insulating emciency of the material while allowing transmission of heat or cold by conduction and also lessens its sound retarding efiiciency.

In a co-pending application Serial No. 116,565, filed December 18, 1936, by John J. Garrison as sole inventor, there is described a structure adapted for supporting in the wall of a building a layer of self compressible insulating material, such as rock wool, so as to prevent sagging and settling and maintain the layer substantially in its original fiuffy condition. This structure comprises a plurality of light wire frames adapted to be mounted in alinement upon the wall of the ture of this general character which may be installed easilyin its operative position but varies in its specific construction. Our device herein is greatly simplified and requires a minimum of stock for-its manufacture and, consequently, can 5 be manufactured at low cost. As shown in the drawing, the structure of the invention comprises a light main frame formed from small gauge wire and carrying a plurality of shelf forming members. The structure may be of any desired length. such as to support an entire row of sections of insulating material extending from the floor to the ceiling of a given story of a building, but a series of two or more, one suspended from the other, may be used where the distance from the fioor to the ceiling is great or for any other reason which renders it desirable. The shelf forming member and the support for holding it in desired operative relation to the main frame, preferably, are such as to cooperate to permit the support to re-enforce and form part of the shelf structure, and to require a minimum of stock to manufacture the same. Our frame also greatly increases the fire retarding qualities of a material like rock wool, because the supporting frame is of wire, a fire resisting material which squarely holds therock wool in place. Rock wool alone is not effective as a fire stop 'between the walls unless securely held in place by a fire proof material. The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a building containing an insulating structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a frame structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 .is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified frame structure embodyingthe invention, shown folded; and

Fig. 4 is the same as Fig. 3 but with the shelf shown open.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

A structure embodying the invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing and comprises a light wire frame i having spaced longitudinal members ll. Each of the longitudinal members II is preferably provided at intervals with an indentation i2 extending inwardly toward the other longitudinal member and the members Ii are connected at such intervals by cross members l3 which are secured to the longitudinal members I l as by welding, preferably to the indentations II. A corresponding pair of indentations H are placed on longitudinal members II at regular intervals above each indentation l2 and extend inwardly toward each other.

To indentations l2 a U-shaped shelf member is attached having cross portion 2| and having eyes 22 at its free ends which grasp indentations l2 of members I l and is free to pivot thereon in a vertical plane. Approximately midway of the sides 23 of U-shaped shelf member 20 a pair of indentations 24 are provided therein extending inwardly toward each other.

Depending from indentations ll of longitudinal members ii is a second U-shaped member or yoke 25 which acts as a support for shelf member 20, and in part as a support for the insulation itself. Yoke 25 is provided at its free ends with eyes 26 which pivotally engage the, corresponding indentations l4 and extend under the shelf 20 when the latter is in extended or horizontal position, yoke 25 engaging shelf 20 at the latter's side indentations 24. It will be noted that the cross portion 21 of yoke 25 is parallel to cross member l3 and cross portion 2| of shelf 20 and therefore serves as part of 'the supporting shelf'structure supporting the insulation material. Eyes 28 are formed in the top ends of longitudinal member I I, by means of which frame l0 may be nailed or otherwise fastened to the wall structure. It will thus be noted that shelf member 20 and supporting member 25, both being pivotally attached to longitudinal members ll, may be folded up and shipped in that condition, thus greatly facilitating packing, and transportation, and reducing space requirements during shipping to a minimum.

In Fig. 3' we have shown a modification in which cross member i3 is eliminated as a separate piece and cross member l3a forms an integral part of shelf 20, loops 22a being formed therein in place of eyes 22 and pivotally engag ing longitudinal members ii at indentations l2 as before. In this way the separate step of welding cross member I3 to longitudinal members ii at indentations I2 is eliminated. If desired, the free ends 29 of cross member l3a may be welded.

The structure of the invention should have a width corresponding to the spacing of the vertical studs 30 in the wall 3| of a building to permit the frame structure to fit between the studding 30. A close fit is not necessary, as a 12- inch shelf 20, for instance, affords ample platform support for a 14-inch bat of insulation. If desired, however, it is possible to use our structure without any studs whatever and studs 30 may be eliminated, so far as providing support for insulation is concerned. The structure may have any desired length found most convenient in any given circumstances. For example, it may have a length such as to provide in a single structure a plurality of shelf structures 20 dividing the space between the adjacent floors 32 in equal spaces. On the other hand, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, if it is desired to have the frames l0 formed in smaller units a number of which may be supported by theone above, eyes 33 may be provided on the lower ends of longitudinal members. II from which another frame I0 may be supported by means of hooks formed at the top ends of longitudinal members I I and replacing eyes 28 of the top frame. With a single structure or plurality of structures so supported from the walls 3|, sections or bats 35 of insulating material are then placed upon the shelves 20 so as to fill the space between adjacent shelves. .It will be noted that the lowermost shelf 20 may be spaced from. the floor 32 an amount equal to the distance between adjacent shelves and that the floor 32 may support one of the sections 35. No regular distance between the lowermdst shelf 20 and floor is necessary, however, because the bats are easily cut down to fill any irregular space.

The height of each section 35 of insulating material will be determined by the weight and strength of the particular insulating material being used, the proper height being such that the material in each section supports its own weight without sagging or backing down in the section. It will thus be noted that our open wire frame I 0 permits a continuity of the insulating material by providing continuous contact through it, in effect making a solid column of insulation. When a solid material such as wood or metal is used between the insulating material for the purpose of supporting orfastening it and completely separates one section of the material from the other the heat insulating efliciency is greatly impaired by permitting temperature changes through conduction, and the passage of air currents by convection. When the insulating material is properly installed in sections without packing or compression the shelf 20 directly over the material is extended into its horizontal position and supporting member 25 placed under shelf 20, by engaging indentations 24 on shelf 20. The shelf 20 and cross member 21 of supporting member or yoke 25 impinges and seats lightly on the insulating material holding the same in place. It is to be understood that the width of the frame in may be made adjustable without departure in any way from the spirit of our invention as shown.

We claim:

1. In an insulating structure for buildings wherein the wall of the building is insulated by a layer of insulating material, in combination, a main frame adapted to be secured to the wall of a building, a skeleton shelf including a pair of arms pivotally connected to said frame, and a U-shaped support having its ends pivotally connected to said frame, said support being adapted to detachably embrace and support said arms in a predetermined angular relation to said frame and serve as an element of said shelf, the arrangement permitting the shelf and its support to be collapsed to substantially flat condition by swinging said arms and support about their pivotal connections with said frame.

2. In an insulating structure for buildings wherein the wall of the building is insulated by a layer of insulating material, in combination, a main frame adapted to be secured to the wall of a building, a skeleton shelf including a pair of arms pivotally connected to said" frame, each of said arms having a reces's. and a U-shaped support having its ends pivotally connected to said frame, said support normally engaging said recesses and having a portion connecting said arms and serving as an element of said shelf.

3. In an insulating structure for buildings wherein the wall of the building is insulated by a layer of insulating material, in combination, a main frame adapted to be secured to the wall of a building, a pair of U-shaped members having their free ends pivotally connected to said frame to swing about spaced parallel axes to cooperate so that one may engage and support the other as a shelf in a predetermined angular relation to said frame.

4. In an insulating structure for buildings wherein the wall of the building is insulated by a layer of insulating material, in combination, a main frame adapted to be secured to the wall of a building, a U-shaped member pivotally connected at its free ends to said frame and having a recess in each of its parallel portions, and a second U-shaped member having its free ends pivotally connected to said frame at points spacedfronrthe ends of the other U-shaped member and adapted to engage the recesses on the latter and Vsupport the same in a predetermined angular irelation to said frame.

5. In an insulating structure for buildings herein the wall of the buildingis insulated by a layer of insulating material, in combination, spaced longitudinal frame members provided with correspondingly positioned inwardly extending loops, a transverse frame member extending between and secured to said loops, a pair of U-shaped members, the free ends of one U- shaped member being pivotally connected to said loops and the free ends of the other U-shaped member being pivotally connected to said longitudinal members at points spaced from said loops whereby said U-shaped members may swing so that one may engage and support the other as a shelfin a predetermined angular relation to said frame members.

JOHN J. GARRISON. STEPHEN SHUKO. 

